Sony’s budget soundbar promises a no-frills approach to enhancing your TV’s audio
The HT-S2000 is an affordable soundbar that is centred on simply improving the sound that comes from your TV. There are few frills to find here, with Sony instead opting for a straightforward bar at an affordable price.
It appears that the S2000 is replacing the HT-G700, a cheap Dolby Atmos model that has been a mainstay on our best budget soundbar list for quite some time. That soundbar retailed for £399 when it launched in 2020, and it included a dedicated subwoofer – something that Sony doesn’t include in the box here.
The exterior shell of this soundbar is the first hint at the no-frills approach that Sony has taken. The design is functional, but not exactly eye-catching. It is, however, a pleasantly petite unit as it measures just 6.4 x 80 x 12cm (hwd). It sits neatly below the TV we pair it with for testing without blocking the screen and doesn’t dominate our media rack.
Its plasticky construction doesn’t try to emulate its premium counterparts, and the only notable build feature is a small LED indicator display on the right-hand side of the unit that shows minimal information about volume, sound modes and input. At the back are sockets for power, HDMI eARC, optical audio and USB. The remote control is also as straightforward as they come. There are a total of 10 buttons on this remote for power, input, volume, mute, Night mode, Sound Field mode, Voice mode and bass adjustment. You can also use the power, input, Bluetooth and volume buttons on the top panel of the soundbar.
The angled ports that Sony opts for on all of its bars can be a nuisance if you have a particularly stiff HDMI cable. We find the flat, rear-facing ports on the Sonos Beam Gen 2 are easier to access and don’t butt heads with stubborn HDMI cables.
We unwrap the S2000 from its claimed 95 per cent recycled materials packaging (we approve of the eco-conscious touch from Sony), plug the power and HDMI cables in, and we’re all set. While Sony offers an app, it doesn’t add much to the experience other than replicating controls already on the remote. There is no lengthy sign-in process or automated calibration system to sit through – just good old-fashioned plug and play.
The S2000 features a 3.1-channel arrangement with a built-in subwoofer and a total power output of 250W. There are three X Balance speaker units within the bar, with the ce
